


Hold Her Hand (While You Think of Me)

by A_Tsundere_In_A_Sweater



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No War or Aldnoah, Inko/Inaho is there, Just you wait - Freeform, Multi, Slow Burn, but Inaho/Slaine is the endgame, haha I'm just waiting to unveil all the ships that this is going to include, like v slow burn, more characters and ships and tags will be added as this grows, not an entirely accurate representation of how japanese high schools work - but it's close enough
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-03-15 08:59:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13609983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Tsundere_In_A_Sweater/pseuds/A_Tsundere_In_A_Sweater
Summary: Half a world away from the place he once called home, Slaine starts over. The new country, new people, and high school life seem like daunting obstacles. The boy sitting next to him in class and his girlfriend certainly aren’t making things any easier.Surrounded by a familiar town and people, Inaho’s life continues with his childhood friend at his side, now as his girlfriend. When a new boy suddenly shows up in town, he comes to find that sometimes the hardest things to understand are the things your heart tells you.





	1. 新たな始まり

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back with the High School AU that I've been telling myself I'd write for the past year. My sincere apologies to everyone who has listened to me scream about this idea for so long. Especially Blue_wire13 for being there when this idea was born, and to Masumi5 for putting an incredible number of ideas for this AU into my head (her ideas will show themselves very very soon haha) and for being an amazing beta! 
> 
> ((Note: This is 1000% an excuse to write Slaine in a school uniform, and to relive my experience in Japan this past summer vicariously through these boys.))
> 
> Also, this is in honor of Inaho's birthday!!
> 
> The chapter title is in Japanese, and is pronounced "aratana hajimari," which means "new beginnings."

**March 14, 2015**

**4:23 P.M.**

 

Slaine looked at what seemed to be a never-ending city of boxes. Stacked three boxes high, towers rose up from the floor of his bedroom as if to try to cage him in. Each box held the possessions that he had deemed worthy to take with him. Over by his window sat a box labeled "PICTURE ALBUMS" in his slanted handwriting. A box a few feet away, and stacked between two others had "NOTEBOOKS" scrawled across the side. There were others, full of summer clothes – light sweaters, short sleeve shirts, and the occasional pair of shorts – sitting grouped beside his closet. Boxes of various room decorations were scattered throughout the mess.

Looking around, Slaine realized that the majority of the boxes were filled with books. Botany books, English novels, poetry collections, science texts, and a variety of other reading materials were carefully packed away, their boxes taking up most of his room. He sighed, thinking of how much work was in store for him once he began unpacking on the other side of the world.

He glanced at the clock, still left hanging on the wall. It would be one of the last things to be packed, along with the rest of his clothes. Seeing that it was late afternoon, Slaine decided to call it a day, and resume packing tomorrow. He'd been boxing things up for hours. His back was sore from lifting boxes and he was drained of energy. Never before had he considered how time-consuming and exhausting packing truly was.

Setting the marker and packing tape down on his desk – another thing that would be shipped away closer to his departure date – he fell back onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. His father was working in the lab today, leaving the house to Slaine. He figured it wasn't anything new. His father was often occupied with his work, and he had long since grown accustomed to the silence that seemed to cloak the house.

He would start making dinner in a few hours, leaving him plenty of time to do whatever he wanted. He considered reading, but realized that the majority of his books were already packed away. He had finished his homework that morning, knowing that he would be too tired to work on it later in the day. He looked around his room, and his eyes fell on his advanced kanji book. He groaned, and rolled onto his stomach. As tired as he was, he knew he should study. He turned towards the calendar hanging over his desk, and silently counted the days until he left.

Twenty-two days. Twenty-two days until he boarded a plane that would take him to Japan. He thought back to when his father had told him that they were moving.

"A company in Japan has offered me a position as head of a research team investigating the cause of a disease," his father had said. When Slaine asked what disease he would be researching, his father had said that it was "classified" and that this would be a "great opportunity" for both of them.

Slaine didn't complain. He had nodded and asked when they would be leaving.

Three months.

Three months to throw himself even harder into his Japanese language studies. He thinks maybe that's why his father had chosen Japan above any other country. Slaine had been learning Japanese for five years now, inspired by a documentary he had seen while flipping through TV channels years ago.

In retrospect, he had never felt sorry for himself. He'd never been worried about saying goodbye to any friends. Being homeschooled for the past six years had put a damper on his social life, and he had no friends to say goodbye to. Any time not spent doing homework was usually spent doing extra reading on his own, or helping his father in the lab.

Forcing himself up, he maneuvered his way around the boxes and sat down at his desk, mentally preparing himself for an hour of studying. Slaine enjoyed learning the language, and poured himself into it, glad to have a distraction. If he had time to sit idly and think, his mind would spin with all the possibilities of his future in Japan. He would be attending a Japanese high school as a first-year student. It would take some adjusting, he thought, to being in a classroom again, and being constantly surrounded by unfamiliar faces. He would have to grow used to talking to classmates again, and in a foreign language at that.

Japanese was so different from Icelandic, his native language, though he hadn't found it to be a handicap. Slaine had begun learning English from a young age, and he was constantly reading English books, watching shows in English, and listening to songs in English. His command of the language was strong, to the point of fluency after surrounding himself by it as much as possible. Science books and international studies were often written in English, and in order to help his father in the lab, he had learned that little could be done if he could not read the language. Now, learning Japanese, he silently thanked his younger self for learning English. Many Japanese words were derived from English ones, which made the language easier to learn.

Although he had a decent understanding of Japanese, he had a lot to learn, and little time to learn it. Setting his timer for an hour, Slaine turned his focus back to his workbook and picked up his pencil.

Twenty-two days.

* * *

**April 5, 2015**

**6:45 A.M.**

 

_"Icelandair Flight 342 will begin boarding in 15 minutes. Please make your way to gate D7."_

With a backpack slung over his right shoulder, a pillow stuffed under his arm, and a carry on rolling behind him Slaine walked alongside his father through Keflavík International Airport. Around him, parents held their children's' hands as they maneuvered the crowd of people moving around the food court.

The two had stopped to grab something from the bakery that they usually went to whenever they traveled internationally. Both of them had gotten their regular order: a blueberry muffin for Slaine, and a plain bagel for his father without any kind of spread.

When he was younger, Slaine had laughed when his father had bought the blandest item on the menu. His father had proceeded to give Slaine a bite of it in hopes of showing Slaine that it wasn't as tasteless as it seemed. All it had convinced him of was that the bagel had no taste at all, and by extension, neither did his father.

As everyone lined up to board, Slaine looked around, realizing that he would not see this airport again for quite a while.

He shuffled that thought to the back of his mind, instead focusing on the infinite possibilities that his future in Japan held. It was always better to focus on the positive, and he tried to do so as often as he could.

Boarding began with all priority and first-class members, including Slaine and his father. The first leg of the trip was a three and a half hour flight to Helsinki, Finland, where they would spend a four-hour layover. The final flight was nine hours and thirty minutes arriving at Narita International Airport at nine thirty in the morning the next day.

Slaine had a window seat on both trips and was sitting next to his father. As the other passengers finished boarding, his father spoke up.

"This is going to be a good change for the both of us," he said.

His tone had been determined, yet Slaine could hear the hint of wistfulness that had crept into it.

While unsure about the reason behind his father’s words, Slaine agreed. He would be able to start his life again, this time with the opportunity to attend a high school and form friendships with his classmates that would last for years.

Although he was happy, Slaine would be lying if he said that he wasn’t sad to leave Iceland. It was here that he had been born. It was in Iceland where his mother had left when he was three. It was here that he had spent his childhood. It was in Iceland where his days had been spent his days poring over books and learning from his father.

For him, Iceland was his home, and he was about to leave it behind.

* * *

  **April 7, 2015**

**2:19 P.M**

 

_I'm at the lab. I expect I'll be home around 7:00. We need groceries. There's a list attached to the back of this note. There is enough money to cover any expenses. Buy whatever you'd like._

Slaine read the note once, twice, and set it back down on the counter where he'd found it. It was written in his father's neat handwriting - the only sign of who had left it.

' _He couldn't even be bothered to sign it,_ ' he thought, frustration settling inside him. The feeling was gone as quickly as it came, leaving behind a tired resignation that he had come to associate with any thought of his father. Slaine was used to it by now, the professional distance kept between father and son. Used to the absence of what others might call "parental love." He pushed these thoughts away, seeing no use in dwelling on them and souring his mood, and flipped the memo over.

The list was as concise as the note, if not more so, stating only the basic necessities. ' _Buy whatever you'd like_ ' apparently meant ' _I don't have time to actually think about this, please do it yourself._ ' At least his father couldn't complain if Slaine came home with more than what might be deemed necessary. Surely that would be possible, he realized, as his gaze fell upon the money left beside the note. 70,000 yen would be more than enough for a grocery shopping trip, even if he was stocking up on everything from food to tissues to laundry detergent.

Gathering the nearly non-existent list and money, Slaine made his way to the door, grabbing his set of house keys from the hook on the wall. He figured the sooner he returned, the sooner he could start unpacking.

* * *

As it turned out, the nearest supermarket was a Freesay, a chain that Slaine had never seen in Iceland. It was a five-minute walk from his house, or, as he had found out, a trip that could be made with a combined two-minute walk, one-minute jog, and thirty-second sprint.

Halfway through his walk there, the rain had started. At first a mere sprinkle, Slaine had simply hastened his steps, still taking the time to enjoy the feel of the occasional drop on his cheek. As the rain strengthened, his speed increased to a light jog, and his hands retreated under the cover of the sleeves of his sweater. Though the weather did not take Slaine's lack of raincoat into consideration, and with the store in sight, the bottom fell out of the clouds, and so did the rain. A jog turned into a sprint, and what had been a slightly damp sweater quickly become a soggy mess within ten seconds.

Once inside, he stood by the shopping carts, intensely grateful for the store's heating system and the automatic doors separating him from the torrential downpour outside. His sweater clung to his back, itching in that uncomfortable way that wet clothes tend to. He pulled a single cart from the line of many, and headed into the store, deeper into the warmth, and away from the draft that seemed to creep through the doors, despite their being closed. However, the rain seemed intent to follow him, each step punctuated by not only a wave of water squishing up through his socks and between his toes, but a squeaking sound that had an old woman shifting her attention from the peaches in her hands to the foreign boy who was causing the obnoxious noise.

His cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and he stopped walking immediately, trying to appear as though he was debating which container of strawberries to purchase. In the end, he chose the ones to his left, if only because he had been "considering" for far too long. A quick glance to his right told him that the woman had moved on, and he decided to do the same. Looking around, he noticed his saving grace - a carpet laid out on the floor along the vegetable displays. Carefully making his way over onto it - with minimal squeaking, he might add - he began to peruse the aisle, placing whatever looked in season into his cart.

As all good things do, the carpet came to an end, and so did his silent footsteps. The squeaking had quieted down considerably, enough for the squish of the water in his shoes to become noticeable. With a quiet groan, and even quieter curse regarding Japanese weather patterns, Slaine pushed his cart in the direction of the rest of the fruits. After picking up a few more items that looked fresh, he moved on towards the meat section.

Three packages of fish and an overpriced package of chicken later, Slaine pushed his cart towards the dairy and eggs. His eyes immediately found the milk, and he stood, confused as to why the majority of it was being sold in half gallons. Perhaps milk wasn't a common drink in Japan? He shuddered at the thought - or maybe at the combined chill of the refrigerated aisle and the dampness of his sweater. As someone who drank only water, milk, and tea, Slaine found living in a country where milk was not consumed regularly, to be a dim prospect. Browsing all of his options, he noticed a few gallons of milk and decided that perhaps all was not as lost as it had originally seemed. Placing one in the cart, he turned towards the eggs.

Or rather, he turned towards what could only be called a visual assault on his eyes.

Now, Slaine was, of course, familiar with the concept that Japanese fashion could be...unique, to put it kindly. He had seen the pictures online of men and women of all ages wearing outfits that could only be described as outlandish. However, Slaine, for his two days in Japan, had thought that the people he had seen so far were dressed in a very normal way. Perhaps it was just in larger cities that one encountered such interesting fashion statements? This question was quickly answered for him.

Standing there, calmly staring at the shelves of eggs, was a boy who Slaine guessed was around his age. From where he was standing, he could only see the back of the boy's head and his cloth– Slaine's gaze caught on the boy's atrocious outfit.

After staring at the boy for a few seconds, Slaine found that his eyes began to hurt. Surely the boy was blind. He had to be, to wear something like that out in public. Maybe the boy had looked at his own jacket for too long and blinded himself? That was the only plausible explanation that Slaine could come up with, as to why this boy would be wearing an orange raincoat.

Under normal circumstances, Slaine had no problem with people wearing orange. Was it a common clothing color? No, but he supposed orange clothes had to exist. Though surely those items were nice shades of pastel orange. Even a pumpkin orange could be deemed acceptable if paired with a calmer color. Certainly nothing like the bright shade that this boy was wearing. It was, quite possibly, the most fluorescent orange jacket that Slaine had ever seen, rivaling even the jackets of the road workers back in Iceland.

_'Where did he even buy something that horrendous?'_ Slaine wondered to himself, slowly pushing his cart closer to the boy.

Although Slaine stood only a few feet away, the boy gave no sign that he noticed him. Turning his eyes towards the brunet, Slaine studied his profile. The boy seemed, if his profile was any indication, to be about Slaine's age, and Slaine noticed that he was taller than the boy by a few centimeters. The other boy seemed to be concentrating on the eggs before him with more seriousness than Slaine thought egg-shopping called for. Slaine shook his head, and focused back on the eggs. The display was large, and there were many options to choose from. Colorful stickers advertised each brand and its price, and coupled with the boy's bright outfit next to him, Slaine's head was starting to swim. Wanting nothing more than to quickly leave all the bright colors behind, he looked over the eggs with renewed vigor.

However, he was quickly made aware of his dilemma. There were complex kanji on the cartons of a few brands, followed by multiple exclamation marks. Whether they were simply advertising or listing facts about the eggs, Slaine had no idea. He sighed, now completely unsure of which eggs to buy. Would it be better to buy the ones without the exclamation marks and confusing kanji, and therefore avoid any problems? Or perhaps buying the eggs with the more complex packaging would be better? Maybe he could try looking the kanji up on his phone? There were also the prices to take into consideration. Deep in his thoughts, Slaine was startled when the boy next to him spoke.

"The eggs on the second shelf to your left are on sale," the boy said in English.

Slaine turned towards him, surprised to hear the brunet speak, let alone in English. The boy had turned to face him, and Slaine was now able to see his face properly. Messy brown hair fell into the boy's face, though it did not obscure his eyes, which were a startling shade of red. They looked like pools of wine, though Slaine noticed that they held no shine. His eyes seemed flat, seemingly devoid of any emotion. His lips were slightly downturned, although he did not seem displeased. However, Slaine found it hard to tell how the boy felt, as his tone had been even, and had not betrayed much feeling. Moving his eyes back up to meet the boy's red ones, Slaine smiled.

"Ah, thank you so much," he responded in Japanese. "Would you mind telling me what these kanji mean? I'm not quite familiar with them," he said, gesturing to the foreign characters. A flicker of something passed through the Japanese boy's eyes, though it was gone before Slaine was able to decipher what it was.

"This brand claims to have higher protein levels," the boy said, gesturing to one of the cartons in front of Slaine. "However," he started, pulling down a carton from a shelf above him, "these have a better taste. They are also easier to flip if you plan on making omelets," the boy offered, still in English.

"Thank you. I guess I'll try these," Slaine answered, accepting the carton that the boy had offered him.

The boy nodded, and turned back towards the eggs, placing five cartons of one dozen into his basket, before walking away without another word.

'Did he just...buy sixty eggs?!' Slaine wondered, his eyes following the boy as he walked away. Not that it was difficult - his coat made it impossible to simply glance over him. His crazy fashion sense, combined with his fairly lackluster personality made the boy interesting. Slaine rubbed his eyes with his hands and continued on with his shopping. He didn't see the boy again. Perhaps he had left right after buying the eggs.

While the rest of his shopping trip passed without incident, Slaine found his thoughts occupied with a red-eyed boy in an orange coat on his walk home.

* * *

**April 13, 2015**

**5:17 A.M.**

 

Rays of golden light peeked out from behind the rounded tops of the mountains in the distance. Stripes of orange and yellow pierced through the clouds, highlighting their fluffy outlines. The passing of a train could be heard, momentarily drowning out the raucous calls of crows and the sweeter chirping of songbirds. From the balcony, the world seemed to glow. He could only hope that it was a promise of what the day ahead would hold.

Soon, the sun lifted itself above the mountains, and Slaine watched as the city around him slowly came to life. The calls of "good morning" between neighbors leaving their houses at the same time down below, drifted up to him, and he listened to the gentle lilt of the words float around. Mornings in Japan possessed a certain calmness that Slaine had come to treasure, even after only a week. Waking up early enough to view the sunrise was a small price to pay if it meant that his day could be started in a way that put him at ease.

Pushing himself off of the railing and stretching his arms above his head, Slaine decided that it was time to prepare for the day. On his way to the shower, he noticed light coming from under the door of his father's study. He knew from experience that it was best to leave his father to himself when busy, and continued on.

Seeing as he had woken up with nearly two hours before he had to leave, Slaine allowed himself to spend a few extra, luxurious minutes in the shower. His time on the balcony had been cold, and the warm water flowing over him was a welcome feeling.

Once finished, a glance in the mirror at his hair was more than enough to make him groan. He had never quite understood how others were able to tame their hair. Different shampoos and conditioners, styling products, texturizers, pomades, and more creams than he could count - the majority of which had been found in the women's hair department - he'd tried them all, but with little-to-no luck. In Iceland, his hairdresser had absolutely loved him - or rather, had loved his hair.

" _You've got such an amazing natural color,_ " she would insist. " _It's a shame that it's so unruly. Though I suppose you could always go for the 'mysterious, I-don't-care' look. Girls have really been drawn to that lately..._ " she would end with a wink.

Each trip to the salon had ended with a variety of new bottles that contained what Slaine could only guess were going to be failed attempts at taming his hair, tucked away in a bag under his arm, and a lovely shade of red spread across his cheeks.

Now, staring at his reflection, he was once again faced with what would likely be a thirty-minute fight with his hair that would yield only a slightly more manageable look. With a determined look in his eyes, he picked up the hair dryer and began.

* * *

As predicted, thirty minutes later found him standing in the bathroom with dry, yet messy hair. Giving up, he screwed the cap back onto the jar of cream with more force than was probably necessary, and trudged towards the kitchen.

Upon entering the kitchen, he went about what had quickly become an everyday routine. He started with boiling the water for tea and putting bread in the toaster. While waiting for both items to be ready, he switched on the radio, and tuned in to some station playing Japan's top 20 hits of the past week. He hummed along, not sure of the words, and pulled a container of strawberries out of the refrigerator, and began to wash them. When the toast popped up, he prepared two plates and put the tea leaves in the water to steep. To his delight, the song changed to one that he was slightly more familiar with, and he joined the recording in singing the first verse. By the end of the song, the tea was done, and a quick look at the clock above the sink confirmed that he was on schedule. Loading a tray with the toast, tea, and strawberries, he made his way to his father's study.

He knocked lightly, and a muffled affirmation to enter was given. With the tray balanced carefully in one hand, he slid the door open and surveyed the room. Hunched over his desk, and what was probably a report containing the latest results from an experiment, was his father. Slaine briefly registered that he was still in his lab coat, meaning that he had either worked through the night, or had fallen asleep before making it to his room, only to begin again, right where he had left off once he had woken up.

"I made breakfast," Slaine said by way of a greeting, nodding his head towards the food, although he knew the action was pointless, left unseen by his father. "You should eat. You've been in here all night."

His father sighed, carded a hand through his hair - messy, likely where Slaine had inherited the feature from - and put his pen down. Pushing his shoulders back and stretching his aching back, he turned towards Slaine. There was no smile on his face, but instead, a deeply-rooted look of what Slaine figured was most likely exhaustion. His father glanced at his watch, and nodded his head, a non-committal noise making its way from his throat.

"I'll eat in here. I still have a few things to read through before the entrance ceremony."

Slaine nodded, and set down half of what had been on the tray onto a previously cleared spot on his father's desk. "Okay. I'll let you know when I leave."

Another mumbled reply, probably a thank you. Slaine couldn't be sure. He quietly exited the study and sat down in the dining room on a pillow. The table had arrived and was sitting boxed up in the corner. Setting it up was a two-person job, and his father had been too busy with his work to worry about it yet. Breakfast was a quick affair, and after washing his dishes, Slaine headed upstairs to finish getting ready.

The Shinawara High School winter uniform was fairly simple in Slaine's opinion. A white shirt, red tie, and beige blazer were required, while a white sweater could be added if the weather was cold. The standard issue pants were a dark brown that complimented his lighter brown shoes. Slaine silently thanks whoever designed the uniform – he'd seen the plaid monstrosities that some schools demanded that the students wear. He chose to forgo the sweater, as the weather was warm when compared to that of Iceland in April.

After a quick sweep of the room with his eyes that assured him that nothing was left behind, he grabbed his bag and headed downstairs. He had packed his lunch the night before, and now placed it inside his backpack.

As he was zipping up his bag, his father walked into the kitchen carrying his dishes and setting them in the sink. He took in Slaine's appearance and gave a small smile.

“Do you have everything you need?” his father asked while running a sponge over his plate.

Slaine nodded, and tugged his backpack onto his shoulder.

“The entrance ceremony begins at nine. You’re coming, right? I’ll find you afterward.”

His father nodded, and Slaine turned to leave.

“Slaine,” his father called out, stopping him. “I’ll see you soon.”

Slaine smiled, hearing what was left unsaid between them.

“You too.”

* * *

In order to reach Shinawara High School, a ten-minute ride on a city bus was required. From the drop-off point, the school was only a five-minute walk. Thankfully, the walk from Slaine's house to the stop where the bus would pick him up was only five minutes long. If he happened to wake up a bit late, the distance could easily be covered by a three-minute jog in order to make up for lost time. Seeing as he had woken up earlier than necessary, Slaine was able to leave earlier than he had planned on.

The weather was much nicer than it had been during his trip to the store, so he kept his raincoat inside of his bag. It wasn't too cold, either, so the uniform jacket was more than enough to keep him warm.

Due to the extra time, Slaine set out a leisurely pace, taking the time to marvel at the flower pots sitting outside of houses, the piles of milk crates sitting outside a small family restaurant, and the vending machine sitting at an intersection. Two middle school girls rode by him on bikes, headed in the opposite direction. They exchanged cheerful greetings, and Slaine was left in relative silence once again. As he neared the bus stop, he glanced at his watch, noting that the walk had taken eight minutes. It wasn't an issue though, as he still made it with ten minutes before the bus was scheduled to arrive.

A quick glance at the bus stop ahead told him that he wasn't alone. A brunet was sitting on a bench, seemingly occupied with something on his phone. Upon hearing Slaine's approaching footsteps, the boy looked up, and Slaine stopped. The boy was dressed in the Shinawara High School uniform this time, but he was definitely the same boy that Slaine had met at the store. There was no recognition in Orange's gaze, and Slaine wondered if he had completely forgotten the incident a few days before. Orange made no move to speak, so Slaine decided to break the silence.

“Hi. Um, I think we met the other day? At Freesay?” he said, looking for some sign in the other's expression that said that he remembered Slaine. There was no such emotion – or any at all that Slaine could discern – and he began to wonder if he had imagined the whole event. Maybe Orange had a brother? No, this was definitely the same blank stare as the one he had received before. For a while, it seemed that Orange wasn't going to respond. Just as Slaine was ready to apologize and explain that he must have the wrong person, the boy finally spoke.

“Bat,” he said, offering no explanation.

Slaine quickly turned around, looking for a bat, but finding nothing but a stray cat disappearing around a corner. He turned back to Orange, who maintained the same expression as before.

“I don't see a bat...” Slaine replied, wondering if perhaps he had misheard what the other boy had said. Orange's gaze gave nothing away, but Slaine felt as though he was missing something important. “I'm sorry, could you please repeat what you said?”

“Bat. It's you,” Orange said, “You're Bat.”

“What? I'm not a bat! What kind of nickname is that?” Slaine retorted, unsure how this boy could possibly have come up with such an inane nickname. In fact, he didn't seem the type to give people nicknames at all.

“The other day your hair was in a state of disarray. There were two tufts sticking up that had the appearance of bat wings,” Orange explained, as though this was a completely logical conclusion to come to, and that Slaine shouldn't need to ask in order to understand.

Slaine's hands immediately flew to his head, aware that his hair was just as messy at it had been that day.

“That doesn't make any sense, Orange!” Slaine hadn't meant to let the nickname slip, but it seemed appropriate, as he had just been given a ridiculous name as well.

“Ah,” the boy replied, though there was no sound of surprise or understanding in his voice, “I was wearing an orange coat that day. That is a logical explanation.”

“Of course it is! It makes much more sense than an illogical name like 'Bat,'” Slaine explained, defending himself.

Orange looked at him, and then shook his head.

“The nickname I gave you was equally logical. You assigned me a nickname based on my physical appearance. I, too, assigned you a nickname based on your physical features. Therefore, if you consider yours to be logical, mine must be logical as well,” Orange explained, and paused, likely waiting for Slaine to agree with him.

As if Slaine would agree with something like that. He could feel his face growing warm with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance, and decided to drop the conversation. He had a feeling that Orange was the type to argue the same point from different angles until the listener either agreed or admitted defeat in order to save themselves from intense and prolonged boredom.

“All that aside, you're a student at Shinawara High School?” he asked, gesturing to Orange's uniform. It was a question with an obvious answer, but Slaine was desperate to move on from the previous conversation.

“Yes, I'm a first year.”

Slaine gave an answering nod, and replied, “So am I. What class are you in?”

“1-A,” came the monotone answer.

“Ah, we're in the same class then,” Slaine said with a smile. Even if Orange wasn't exactly the most friendly person, he was relieved that he'd know at least one person in his new class.

Orange opened his mouth to respond, but closed it when he saw the bus approaching. Standing up, he picked up his bag and moved toward the now-stopped bus. He boarded first, and Slaine followed quickly, tapping his IC card against the sensor as he had seen Orange do.

He surveyed the bus, determining where to sit. The front and middle of the bus were empty. A call of something that Slaine couldn't catch came from the back of the bus, and pulled his and Orange's attention to where three people sat. Orange walked toward them, and Slaine sat in an empty row in the middle of the bus. He heard animated chatter coming from the back of the bus, along with a few lines of a familiar monotone. Three or four minutes later, another call gained his attention.

“Bat.”

Orange hadn't yelled, but the bus was quiet enough that the nickname easily gained his attention. He turned, and was met with three inquiring stares and one blank one.

“Yes?” he asked, unsure why he had been called. His question was quickly answered when one of the girls spoke up.

“Would you like to sit with us?”

Slaine hesitated. He didn't want to impose on Orange's group (friends?), although he had been invited. He was also curious, and realized that this was a perfect opportunity to make new friends. Accepting the offer, he moved to the back of the bus, and sat in a row across from the two girls in the group. He quickly surveyed the teenagers and noted that there were two girls, a blonde and one with black hair, as well as another blond boy whose hair was more golden than Slaine's. The other boy sat next to Orange in the back row. The three strangers were staring at him, and Slaine decided to focus his attention on the black haired girl who had addressed him previously.

“Thank you for inviting me to sit with you,” he began with a smile, “I hope that I'm not intruding,” he finished, giving a small bow. He may not have hit it off well with Orange, but that didn't mean that he couldn't make a good first impression on these people.

The two girls blushed and smiled kindly in return before speaking up.

“It's no problem at all!” the blonde said, leaning towards him. “My name's Nina Klein. You can just call me Nina. It's nice to meet you,” she said, her ponytails bouncing. Barely a second passed before the other girl spoke up.

“I'm Amifumi Inko, but just Inko is fine,” she assured him, and Slaine nodded in reply.

“Hey, I'm Calm. Nice to meet ya,” the blond boy said from behind, and Slaine turned around to greet him as well.

“Let me make sure I have everything correct. Nina, Inko, Calm,” he paused for a moment as they all nodded in affirmation, “And...” he trailed off, realizing that calling the second boy “Orange” might not be the best way to make a good first impression.

Orange looked up, and locked eyes with Slaine.

“Kaizuka Inaho,” he stated in perhaps the most detached voice Slaine had ever heard during a self-introduction.

“Ah...” Slaine began, “Kaizuka-san.”

Calm let out a snort while Inko and Nina hid their smiles behind their hands. Slaine whipped around.

“Did I say it incorrectly?” he panicked, feeling his face heating. Inko shook her head, a grin still in place.

“No, no, it's just kind of formal is all,” she explained, “Most people just call him Inaho,” she stated, looking to Oran- Inaho for confirmation.

“Yes,” Inaho nodded, “Inaho is fine. However, if you prefer Ora-”

“Inaho is fine!” Slaine hastily cut him off, earning himself strange looks from the other three. Neither Slaine nor Inaho offered any explanation, so Inko spoke up after a moment's silence.

“I'm sorry, I'm not sure what your name is,” she said apologetically.

“Ah, my name is Slaine Troyard. You can call me Slaine,” he said, sending a pointed glance in Inaho's direction. The last thing he needed was Inaho bringing up some absurd nickname. Inaho's expression stayed the same, as though he didn't care one way or another.

“Oooh, are you an exchange student?” Nina asked, with her eyes wide.

“Kind of? I just moved here with my father a week ago due to his job. I'm from Iceland,” Slaine explained, watching the others' reactions. Inko and Nina's eyes widened comically, and their mouths formed “o”s. Calm smiled excitedly, while Inaho showed no sign of hearing anything Slaine had said, although he was listening to the conversation.

“Nina and I are both from Canada. Our families moved here when we were young though, so we don't remember it,” Calm explained, and Nina nodded in agreement.

“I've been to Canada,” Slaine said with a smile.

“Really? For how long?” Nina asked.

“Around a week. My father is a bio-technologist,” he explained, “He was attending a conference in Vancouver and brought me along.”

“Lucky! I'd love to go back sometime,” Calm said with a grin.

Slaine smiled as well, fiddling with the strap on his bag. Something occurred to him, and he spoke up.

“Are you all in the same class as me and Inaho?” he asked, curious as to whether or not he would be spending the majority of his days with them. He hoped that they would all be in the same class, as he found Inko, Nina, and Calm to be nice people. His still hadn't come to a solid conclusion about Inaho.

“We are,” Inko said. She went on to explain, “We've all been in the same class since our first year of middle school, but I've known Inaho since we were little.”

Slaine nodded, and a feeling of envy began to make itself known. These four had known each other for years, and had likely formed strong friendships. Slaine had only had one such friend, but she had gone abroad to study only a few years after he met her. He didn't even know where she had gone. It was like she had disappeared – there one day and gone the next. He'd never received any letters or explanation. When he had tried asking his father what had happened to her, he had eagerly changed the subject. After a while, he had stopped asking, realizing that it was futile. Shaking these thoughts away, Slaine focused back in on the conversation.

“Inaho's always been top of the class-” Inko began.

“-More like top of the school,” Calm interjected with a huff.

“Inaho's always been top of the school,” Inko restated, shooting a look at  Calm, “But this year, I'm going to beat him!” she said with conviction. She had a proud look on her face, and Slaine smiled, amused by her antics.

Slaine was curious as to how smart Inaho was to be top of the school. He wondered how Inaho would fare against students who were two years older than him. Something told him Inaho would manage...

Inko's voice brought him back to the conversation, and he focused on what was being said.

“Inaho, why isn't Yuki with you?” she asked, and Nina and Calm nodded.

“Yuki overslept. If she hurries, she can make the next bus and arrive on time,” he explained, shifting his bag in his lap.

Slaine took advantage of the pause in the conversation to speak up.

“Is Yuki another classmate?” he asked. He wondered if Yuki had also been friends with the four for years.

“She's Inaho's sister,” Nina explained with a smile, gesturing to the brunet.

“She's also the girl's P.E. teacher,” Inko added.

Before Slaine was properly able to imagine a grown woman with a personality like Inaho's, the bus stopped near a city park, and everyone stood up.

As he exited the bus – not without a 'thank you' to the driver, a feeling of anticipation swirled within him. From a few blocks away Slaine could see the profile of Shinawara High School against the surrounding cityscape. Until now, he had been able to suppress the butterflies that were so desperately trying to wreak havoc on his stomach. However, any hopes of pushing them away had now flown out of sight.

He glanced around him, and saw that everyone else seemed to be experiencing the same feeling.

At least, almost everyone.

Inaho's face was deceivingly calm, and it prompted Slaine to wonder whether the boy was extremely skilled at keeping any unease from showing on his face, or if he was completely unaffected.

“Well...” Inko began, trailing off as she looked at the school. “We should probably get moving so that we aren't late.”

The other teens hummed in agreement, and began walking, Calm, Inko, and Nina together in the front, while Inaho and Slaine walked a few steps behind them.

As a result of walking in the back, Slaine was able to take a few deep breaths without everyone watching his every move.

The closer they got to the school, the more students joined their path. The more crowded it became, the more Slaine could feel people's eyes on him. Not only was he new to the town, he was obviously foreign, making him the most interesting thing to look at. Instead of focusing on the stares, Slaine made a mental note of the necessary turns so that he would be able to make it back to the station after classes had ended.

The walk was short, and within a few minutes they had arrived. They stood for a moment, staring at the entrance.

“Are you ready?” Nina asked, giving him a knowing look.

Slaine nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. While his nerves were still present, they weren't as strong as they had been moments before. High school life seemed daunting, probably more so than would usually be the case for others, seeing as he had been homeschooled for the majority of his life.

“I'm ready.”


	2. 最初の一歩

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slaine's not sure what to expect from his first day of school. He's just hoping to survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive, and back with chapter 2. 
> 
> Blame Masumi for all the ships, not me pls. ((She's converted me))
> 
> This week's chapter title is read: "saisho no ippo" and it translates to "the first step"

**April 13, 2015**

**8:11 A.M.**

Stepping into the building allowed Slaine to make two very significant observations.

The first, was that it was loud. A wave of noise crashed into Slaine, and momentarily overloaded his senses. Students from all three grade levels mingled in the entryway swapping greetings and stories of travels while they changed into their indoor shoes. Student council leaders spoke enthusiastically to the first-years, and pointed them in the right direction, while the upperclassmen leisurely moved at their own pace, well aware of where to head. The sheer volume of the cacophonous roar that seemed to fill the room betrayed the joviality of the students within it. 

The second realization proved to be the cause of the first. Even with the upperclassmen moving towards their classrooms, the constant influx of first-years and returning students kept the room teeming with people. Parents, present to attend the opening ceremony, seemed just as confused as Slaine felt himself, and hung towards the walls. He supposed it must have been quite a while since they'd set foot in a high school environment. Although student council members acted as chaperones to guide the parents towards the gym, the fullness of the room remained unaffected by their absence.

The overall flurry of motion left Slaine unsure of where to focus his attention. Thankfully, a tug on his shoulder alerted him to Nina who was motioning to the left side of the room.

"Shoe lockers are organized by grade, and then alphabetically by last name," she explained, waving her hand in a signal for him to follow.

Moving alongside her and the others, he watched as she found her locker amidst the chaos, and switched her shoes. Once finished, she turned to Slaine with a thoughtful expression.

"Your last name is Troyard, right?"

After seeing Slaine's nodded response, she quickly surveyed the rows of shoe lockers and smiled when she found what she was looking for.

"This one here is yours," she explained, pointing to a locker not far from her own.

Slaine moved closer, and sure enough, upon further inspection, he saw that his name was written at the top of it.

"Thank you so much!"

After changing his shoes, he hurried over to where Inko and her friends were waiting. A quick consensus revealed that none of them knew how or where to proceed. While trying to determine the best course of action - Calm figured they should just start walking, and eventually they'd figure it out, while Inko suggested they ask a student council member - a tall boy came up to them.

"Hello," he began with a cheerful smile, "Do you need help figuring out where to go?"

The boy, a third year if the red soles of his shoes said anything, seemed kind and willing to help, and they were definitely in need of assistance.

"Hi. Yes, please. Do you know where the first years supposed to report to before the opening ceremony?" Inko asked politely.

"You should go to your classrooms, where your homeroom teacher will instruct you further," he explained. "If you just walk down the hallway to your left, you'll see the first year classrooms 1-A through 1-C."

After thanking the older boy and each giving a polite bow, they followed the directions given and entered their classroom. It seemed that while the majority of the students had arrived, the teacher had not, leaving everyone to speak freely and mingle around the room. Nina, Inko, and Calm immediately decided to make use of the free time, and told Slaine that they were going to go talk to some friends from middle school. When asked if he'd like to join them, he declined. He would rather stand back and observe his classmates' interactions for now. There would be plenty of time later to introduce himself and speak with them. Meeting so many people already that morning had left him longing for a few moments to himself.

It appeared that Inaho felt similarly, for he had almost immediately chosen a seat and sat down. Following his lead, Slaine sat at the desk behind him and let his eyes follow the people in the room. While most students stood in large groups, he noticed a few others sitting quietly throughout the room. He caught the gaze of a seated girl with red hair, and quickly looked away when met with a glare.

More students trickled into the room, and eventually the bell rang, prompting everyone to sit down in the seat nearest to them. The room was quiet as the door opened, revealing a tall, foreign-looking teacher. The students rose as he entered and bowed once he reached the podium. After an acknowledging bow of his own, the teacher motioned for the students to be seated.

"My name is Cruhteo, and I will be your homeroom teacher for the coming year. A more complete introduction will be given once we have returned from the opening ceremony. Please regard me well," he stated. His tone was commanding and left no room for arguments.

"Please teach us for the year," the students replied in unison before quieting down once more.

Cruhteo cleared his throat before addressing them once more.

"Your parents have been shown to the gymnasium and the second and third-year students have also been seated. Please form two lines, boys in one and girls in the other, and follow me."

Slaine had never seen a group of twenty students form lines as hastily and accurately in his life. Cruhteo gave off an indisputable air of importance that was difficult to ignore.

Falling into line behind Inaho, the two groups, led by Cruhteo filed out of the classroom and walked towards the gymnasium. Waiting outside the doors, they joined with the other lines of first years and then entered the room amidst the applause of the upperclassmen, parents, and teachers. While walking towards the front of the room, Slaine caught a glimpse of his father clapping politely, and his nerves eased slightly. At least there was one other person here who felt just as out of place as he did.

After bowing to the audience, Slaine and his classmates took their seats, and a man walked onto the stage in the front of the room.

The man bowed to the audience, and then began speaking.

"Good morning. My name is Saazbaum, and I am the principal here at Shinawara International High School. I'd like to thank you all for being here today. It brings me great joy to see the returning faces of our second and third-year students who have joined us for another year of schooling. I am also extremely happy to see all of the new faces in the audience - those of our first-year students and their parents. We are humbled that you have chosen to enroll your children in our school. Here at Shinawara International High School, we strive to provide an education that enriches our students' views of the world. Our mission is to form bonds between those of different cultures, for we, as humans, have many more similarities than we have differences. We hope to foster a sense of respect for all people, regardless of their background. Students, as your principal, I urge you to open your minds as you enter this coming year. Make friends with your fellow students, keep up with your studies, and do your best in all aspects of your life. However, always remember that the most important lessons are the ones that you learn from listening to and understanding those around you. I wish you all a year full of new experiences and endless possibilities. Thank you."

The applause following Principal Saazbaum off of the stage rang throughout the room as the students, parents, and teachers enthusiastically agreed with his sentiments.

As the room began to settle down, a third-year student made his way to the podium. It soon became clear that the boy on the stage is the same one who had helped Slaine and the others find their classroom earlier.

With a low bow and sweet smile, the boy began his speech.

"Good morning everyone. My name is Mazuurek, and this is my third year at Shinawara International High School. I would like to start by welcoming our first years and their parents. I hope that in the following year you will be able to see that you have made one of the best decisions in your life. You can learn a lot about a school from a brochure: location, student enrollment numbers, average class size. However, there are things that you cannot see until you have attended a school: its principles and doctrines, its atmosphere, the feelings of those attending it. In the coming year, you will learn of those things. You will learn that every student here is valued as an individual. You will learn that while this is a school, it is foremost, a community. You will learn that if you do your best and connect with those around you, nothing you dream for is out of reach. Remember that as you enter your first year."

Mazuurek paused, smiled, and turned to the second and third years seated on the other side of the gym.

"To the second and third years: remember how you felt when you entered this school. Remember how frightened you were. However, remember the relief you felt when an upperclassman would greet you or offer help. It is your turn to be that person for the first years. Welcome them into our community and show them what to do. And my fellow third years - this is our last year here. Let's make the best of it. Spread your wings further than you have before. Try new things. Make new friends. Experience those things that you were too afraid to before. Make this a year that you want to remember. Thank you very much."

The end of the speech signaled the commencement of an overly-enthusiastic round of applause emanating from the third years. If there were any vocal exclamations, the teachers were too happy to have heard such a wonderful speech to quiet them.

As Principal Saazbaum approached the podium once again, the applause died down.

"Thank you for that inspiring speech. I hope that you are all able to follow his advice. Now, I would like to invite Kaizuka Inaho, who ranked highest on the entrance exam, to speak as a representative of the first year class."

By the time Slaine had turned to if ask Inaho was really going to give a speech, he was halfway to the stage. Twisting in his seat, he saw Inko and Nina sitting together in the row behind him looking just as confused as he felt.

If Inaho had placed first in the entrance exams, then Inko hadn't been joking when she'd said that he was top of the class.

Turning his attention back to the stage, he watched as Inaho bowed and began his speech.

"Good morning. My name is Kaizuka Inaho, and I will be speaking on behalf of the incoming first-year class. In life, there are a series of big changes that occur - one of those being the transition into high school. There will certainly be hardships in the coming years, but we are confident that these are able to be overcome. We are thankful to have the guidance of our teachers and upperclassmen while faced with this new step in our lives. We ask that you view us with forbearance as we adjust to the new environment and expectations. We look forward to being a part of Shinawara High School. Thank you.”

Slaine observed that Inaho had spoken more in the past minute than he had in the time that Slaine had known him. The audience applauded as Inaho bowed and left the stage. After reclaiming his seat next to Slaine, Calm clapped a hand on his shoulder in congratulations.

"Man, I didn't know you were gonna give a speech!! Now you're gonna get all the girls!! Do you think they'll let me give a speech too?"

"If you had scored higher on the entrance exams, you would have been able to give it," Inaho stated, turning to Calm.

Calm laughed and was ready to shoot back a response when Principal Saazbaum took to the stage once more.

"I am glad to have such a determined group of first-year students," he said with a nod in their direction. "Students are now dismissed to their classrooms for the remainder of today's classes. Parents, you are welcome to stay for refreshments. Any teachers who do not have a homeroom class are also asked to stay behind. We will be coming around and introducing ourselves. Please feel free to address any concerns or questions that you may have at that time. Thank you again for attending today's opening ceremony."

* * *

 

**April 13, 2015**

**9:50 A.M.**

With the students gone, Saazbaum wove his way through the sea of parents, offering kind greetings and reassurances to those who worried about how their child would adapt to high school life.

After finishing up with a mother who was concerned about how her son would balance his academics and extracurriculars - _Don't worry Ma'am, we have self-study sessions at the end of the day where students are able to complete any unfinished work_ \- he turned to see a man whose gaze was focused out of the window, seemingly deep in thought.

With light brown hair, a crisp, white collared shirt, and black slacks that he couldn't deny fit the man well, Saazbaum thought that the man looked gorgeous. Quickly deciding that yes, he should definitely see if this man had any "concerns," Saazbaum strode over towards him.

It took Saazbaum coming within two steps of the man for him to turn his eyes towards him.

The pensive look on the man's face certainly added to his beauty, light brown eyes paired with a pale complexion that seemed too fair to be Japanese.

"Hello," Saazbaum began as he flashed his best smile and put out his hand.

"Hello," the man replied stiffly, reaching for Saazbaum's hand.

Oh. The man's hands were cool, and his handshake was firm. His sleeves were also rolled up, displaying pale forearms. Saazbaum did his best not to focus on them, which resulted in turning his gaze to the man's face, which was just as dangerous.

"I'm Saazbaum, the principal here at this school," he restated, feeling cool fingers slip from his own. "I wanted to say hello and see if you had any questions or concerns."

"Dr. Troyard," the man introduced. "It's nice to meet you. I have no concerns. I trust that my son will do well here."

In the back of his mind, Saazbaum thought that this must be a trial in his life to test his will-power. No man should be blessed with good looks, an intelligent mind - this man was a doctor after all - and a captivating accent.

"Likewise. You're a doctor? That's very impressive," Saazbaum's voice was lower than usual, and it may or may not have had everything to do with how attractive the man before him was.

"A biotechnologist, thank you," Dr. Troyard replied distractedly.

While he acted polite enough, Saazbaum couldn't help but think Dr. Troyard seemed to be focused on something other than the current conversation. A part of him wished that the man's full attention was on him.

"What brought your son to our school?" he inquired, hoping to pull Dr. Troyard from his contemplation.

"We've recently moved to this area from Iceland due to my profession," came the inattentive reply. Dr. Troyard shifted slightly, moving his arms behind his back, and Saazbaum mourned the loss of such a beautiful sight.

"I've never had the opportunity to visit Iceland, but I've heard that it's _gorgeous_ ," Saazbaum lilted, giving Dr. Troyard a look.

"Yes, it is quite lovely," the man replied unaffectedly.

Biting back a sigh, Saazbaum steeled himself, and made one last attempt.

"What is your son's name?"

"Slaine."

"Does he look like you? If so, I would _definitely_ be able to pick him out in a crowd. It would be hard to overlook someone like yourself," he tried, looking the brunet in the eyes.

There was nothing in Dr. Troyard's eyes or tone as he replied.

"No, he is blond and has blue-green eyes. If you would excuse me, I must go," the man explained, looking towards the door. "I am needed at my laboratory."

Realizing that the man was too focused on something else to truly notice him, Saazbaum relented.

"I see. Yes, of course. Thank you for your time."

And then, because Saazbaum was nothing, if not determined

"I look forward to seeing you again. I'm sure that there will be many opportunities for us to meet in the future. If I see Slaine, I will be sure to ask how he is doing."

"Much obliged," Dr. Troyard answered and gave a small bow before walking out of the door and out of Saazbaum's sight.

As he took a moment to appreciate the memory of the foreign doctor's eyes, and forearms, and accent, Saazbaum felt a hand come down on his shoulder.

"It seems as though you have found a brunet with a title," a familiar voice mocked.

Turning to his friend, Saazbaum sighed.

"Olga," he said with exasperation. "How long were you listening?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

Olga chuckled and came to stand in front of Saazbaum.

"Not long..."

The smile on his face tells Saazbaum otherwise.

"I believe I began listening when you stated that 'Iceland is _so gorgeous_ ,'" he laughed, and continued. "However, I quite enjoyed, 'I could never overlook someone as _gorgeous_ as you.'"

Saazbaum bristled and sharpened his gaze.

"You know very well that I didn't say that," he argued while crossing his arms in front of him. "As if I would say something so senseless."

Although the last part was added under his breath, Olga heard it and laughed.

"You’ve known this man for three minutes, and you're already using lines like that?" he teased. "Looks like someone's interested..."

Drawing himself up to his full height, Saazbaum looked up at Olga and then turned away.

"As principal of this school, there are other parents that I must speak with. Please return to your duties as well," he threw over his shoulder. He vaguely heard Olga's retort.

"Looks like I've touched on something if you're throwing your title around like that. Believe me, we aren't done here. I expect further details during lunch."

As if he'd tell him anything.

* * *

 

**April 13, 2015**

**9:50 A.M.**

Back in their homeroom, the students of class 1-A stood once again sat randomly throughout the room.

"We will begin by creating a seating chart. You will come up one at a time and draw a number," Cruhteo explained, gesturing to a box which presumably contained slips of numbered paper, "Each number corresponds to a desk, the diagram of which is drawn on the board behind me. Do not switch numbers with a classmate. If you prove to be disruptive, I will move you to the front of the classroom. If you are unable to see the board from the back of the room, adjustments to the seating chart will be made. This seating chart will be in effect until summer vacation."

When his turn came to draw a number, Inaho moved forward and selected a slip of paper. Comparing his number with the diagram on the board, he moved to take his seat. One column away from the window, in the third seat back. The board was visible, so there was no need to request a different seat. Nina sat one seat forward to his right, while Calm sat in front of her, in the very front of the room. He imagined the only thing holding Calm back from protesting was the inhospitable nature of their homeroom teacher. Though, perhaps Calm's new position in the front of the room would encourage him to apply himself to his studies. He discarded that idea. It was highly unlikely.

"Inaho, look!"

He looked up to see Inko setting her things onto the desk in front of his with a large smile. She was always happy when they were seated near each other. Additionally, she was seated next to Nina, which was likely contributing to much of her happiness.

"Slaine, what number did ya get?"

He turned his attention to the front of the room where Calm was loudly questioning Bat - a fitting name, even if the blond didn't agree.

"Ah, number eleven, so..." he glanced over his shoulder at the diagram, and then made his way to the desk on Inaho's right, "right here."

Inaho thought he heard Calm muttering about unfairness and suffering, though Nina's voice easily drowned it out.

"Wow, we all got to sit next to each other! This is great!"

He definitely saw Calm hit his face against the desk.

"It is," Inko agreed.

Realizing that they'd all turned to him for his opinion, he nodded. Really, the seating chart wasn't important to him, as it wouldn't have a direct effect on his learning, but it made his friends happy, so he saw no reason to disagree.

They seemed satisfied with his response, and turned towards Cruhteo who was preparing to address the class.

"As the seating chart is now completed, we will begin self-introductions. You will spend the next three years with everyone in this room. State your full name, where you are from, and something important about yourself. Nobody wants to know your favorite color. Tell us something more than that. We will start with the student in desk number one, and proceed in numerical fashion."

Inaho listened to the first seven students introduce themselves, and mentally noted anything of importance. One of the girls was absent, and Calm stood up next.

"Hey, my name's Calm Craftman. It's nice to meet ya. I was born in Canada, so if you ever need help with English homework, I'm your guy. I like mechanic work, like fixing bikes and cars."

By now, Inaho knew that he shouldn't have expected anything else from Calm.

Nina stood up next.

"Hi, I'm Nina Klein. Like Calm, I'm from Canada, but I moved to Japan in elementary school. I'd like to become a veterinarian."

Nina would likely excel as a veterinarian. She had always possessed the ability to find lost pets and lure them to her so that she could bring them to their owners.

Across from him, Slaine stood and turned to address the class.

"Hello. My name is Slaine Troyard. I moved here from Iceland last week due to my father's job. I've been homeschooled for the past eight years, and am looking forward to being part of the class."

As Slaine sat down, the class murmured indistinctly. Inaho heard the girl to his right whisper to her friend about "the appeal of foreign boys." He briefly thought that Calm would be sad to know that they weren't referring to him.

A few other people introduced themselves, and then Inko began.

"Hi, my name is Amifumi Inko. My family is Chinese, but I've always lived here in Shinawara. My father owns a restaurant in town, and I help out there during the summers."

When they were younger, he and Yuki would often eat at the Amifumi's restaurant. Inko had befriended him during those days. Inko would now often drag their group of friends to her father's restaurant after a long day. As a result, it had become something close to a second home for him.

Inaho stood to give his self-introduction.

"My name is Kaizuka Inaho. I live with my older sister."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Slaine raise an eyebrow. Calm snickered into his hand while Inko and Nina looked at each other with an indecipherable look. They looked tired. Cruhteo looked unhappy, which confused him. His introduction was short, but there was nothing wrong with it.

The girl behind him rose, burying her hands into the pockets of her skirt.

"Rayet Areash. I'm not from around here."

She seemed hostile, though Inaho could appreciate her succinctness.

After four more people spoke, Cruhteo resumed command of the classroom.

"With that taken care of, I have a few things to address. First, you all should have read the handbook detailing the rules and expectations applying to you."

Inaho nodded as others gave their verbal assent. Cruhteo gave an acknowledging nod before moving on.

"I will now be handing out your class schedules. The majority of your classes will be held in this room. P.E., music, and science classes will be held in separate rooms."

A knock on the door of the classroom drew everyone's attention, and with Cruhteo's permission, four upperclassmen entered the room. With a nod in their direction, Cruhteo continued.

"After I hand out your schedules, you will divide into groups led by your upperclassmen who will show you around the school. Please form into groups of five or six. There are three students who will be in their own group: Amifumi Inko, Kaizuka Inaho, and Slaine Troyard. You three will be led by Mazuurek. Everyone else is free to form whatever groups they desire."

When his name was called, Inaho took his schedule and went to stand by Inko and Mazuurek. Slaine joined them, and Mazuurek turned to Inaho, who handed his schedule to the older boy.

"Wow, this is really impressive! Three classes with third-year students," he commented with a smile. A thoughtful expression formed on his face, and he spoke up again, "I supposed that's to be expected from the top scorer on the entrance exam."

"Inko and Slaine have also been enrolled in those courses," Inaho intoned.

"That's true," Mazuurek agreed, "It looks like the first year class has quite a few impressive students."

Standing quietly until this point, Inko spoke up.

"Will you be in those classes, Mazuurek-senpai?" she asked, tilting her head to the right.

"Yes, in all three," he explained, "We'll probably get to know each well by the end of the year."

"That would be nice," Slaine added.

With a hum, Mazuurek looked down at Inaho's schedule for a moment, and then addressed the three students.

"Alright, let’s begin."

Motioning for them to follow him, he headed down a hallway to the right.

"You've already seen where the gym is,” he said. “But I'll show you where the locker rooms are. Boys and girls are, of course, separate. However, your classes will be held in the same area. Before your P.E. classes you should change, and then meet in the pre-designated area where class will be held."

A wave to the locker rooms was made, before they continued towards the front of the school.

"When it's warm enough, P.E. will be held outside on our fields. Generally, baseball, softball, kickball, and soccer are played. If it’s too cold to go outside, you’ll have class in the gym," Mazuurek explained, before leading them down another hallway.

“The only other main thing located on the first floor is the library. You can check books out for two weeks, and they can be renewed for one more.”

With only a quick glance inside, Inaho observed that there were rows of books in a variety of genres. He made a mental note to return soon and observe the library in more depth in order to familiarize himself with its layout.

The tour continued as Mazuurek lead them up a flight of stairs.

"All of the science labs are located on the second floor. Biology is in room 2-J, so it's right..." they walked around a corner, "...here. The ten-minute break between lessons allows plenty of time for you to make it here from your previous classroom."

Slaine glanced down at his schedule, and then asked a question.

"We'll have this class later today, right? And it looks like we're coming from English, which we have with you, correct?" he pointed to Monday's column on his paper.

"That's right!" Mazuurek beamed, "We'll be able to talk together. I'll take you to the English classroom."

He led them up another flight of stairs and to an adjacent room.

"This is also my homeroom. If you ever need anything, feel free to stop by, and I'll see what I can do. I'd be happy to help."

Inaho filed this information away for later. Having a third year to answer questions would be beneficial.

"Thank you so much," Slaine and Inko said in unison, and Inaho gave his own 'thank you.'

"It's no problem!" Mazuurek reassured them. "Your math classes will also be held here, so please familiarize yourselves with the route here."

Inaho nodded. The path was not complicated, and he had already memorized it.

"All that's left are the music rooms, which are on this floor as well."

Inaho and others followed the blond who led them down one more hallway.

"Boys and girls will have their music classes separately, like P.E."

Mazuurek checked Inaho's schedule once more, before handing it back.

"It looks like that's everything. I can show you back to your classroom now. Do you have any questions?"

“Not at the moment," Inko began, looking at Slaine who shook his head. She took Inaho's silence for an answer. "We'll be sure to ask you if we think of anything though. Thank you for showing us around, and for helping us earlier this morning. I feel more comfortable now that I know where everything is," she finished with a laugh.

As they arrived back at room 1-A, the three first years bowed to Mazuurek in thanks.

"We'll see you soon," Slaine stated.

Mazuurek flashed a smile.

"See you later then," he said, locking eyes with Inaho.

He nodded, watching as Mazuurek walked away.

"He's so nice, isn't he?" Inko prompted.

"He is," Slaine agreed. "He was certainly enthusiastic and helpful."

Soon the rest of the groups trickled back into the classroom, and Cruhteo resumed his position at the front of the room.

"Lunch will begin shortly. After the hour is finished, you are expected to report to your next class. You are allowed to eat in any room of the school that normally functions as a homeroom. Roof access is restricted."

Inaho watched as Nina frowned at that. She had spent the summer speculating about the possibility of eating lunch of the rooftop. He had tried countless times to dissuade her of the notion. Very few schools actually allowed students to access the roof. It would seem as though she had foolishly held onto that hope.

Classical music played over the intercom, signaling the start of the lunch hour. Inaho watched the room thin out as people went to eat with their friends in other classes. A few students entered the room, and groups of friends pushed their desks together, forming blocks of people.

"Hey, Inaho, move your desk a bit," Calm prompted, pushing his desk to line up with Nina and Inko's.

While doing as he was asked, he heard Nina talking to Slaine.

"Slaine, move your desk in too," she requested, causing Slaine to look up from where he had been stashing supplies in the holder under his desk.

"Ah...okay," he replied, hastily finishing what he was doing and pulling his desk next to Inaho's.

"Um..." everyone turned to Inko, who was looking towards the back of the room. "Rayet? Would you like to eat with us?"

The redhead glared at Inko before hastily picking up her lunch and walking by.

"No."

The group of friends sat there, slightly stunned at the cold dismissal, and Inko jolted as the door closed loudly behind Rayet.

"I guess that's a no..." Inko murmured, before she sat down and pulled out her bento.

The group was quiet for a moment, before Nina broke the silence.

"Maybe she'll warm up to us eventually. It's only the first day after all," she offered.

Calm hummed in agreement, and Inko gave Nina a smile.

"Oh, Inko," Nina began.

"Hmm?"

"Do you and Inaho have any date plans coming up?"

Inaho looked up from his rolled omelette at that, to find Inko's gaze meeting his.

"Honestly, with school starting, I've been too preoccupied to think about it," Inko admitted, taking a bite of her rice. "We could always do something this weekend?" It sounded like a question, and Inaho realized it was directed to him.

"I don't have any plans this weekend," he said, and watched Inko smile.

Ah. It appeared that that was the correct response.

"What should we do though? Nina, you always have good ideas about things like this," Inko asked, looking for help.

Nina's nose scrunched for a moment as she thought, before she made a gesture with her pointer finger.

"Hanami! That's totally romantic!"

"Hanami?" Slaine's tone was curious. "Is that when people go to see the cherry blossoms?"

"Sure is. It's super cool," Calm interjected. "One of those things that you can appreciate no matter what."

"I've never been," Slaine admitted.

Inko, Nina, and Calm made undignified noises upon hearing this.

"There aren't many sakura trees in Iceland," he explained.

The three friends looked at each other, nodded, and then turned to Slaine.

"Are you free this weekend?"

"Yes? As far as I know?" he replied hesitantly.

"Good," Inko said.

"We're all going to hanami then," Nina added.

"There's no way we're gonna let you miss it," Calm finished.

"Really? That would great, but are you sure?" Slaine asked, looking at Inko. "Weren't you guys going to go on a date?"

Inko shook her head and smiled.

"There will be plenty of other times for that. Besides, going out with friends is a lot of fun," she said.

"Inaho, you're going too, ya know?" Calm clarified and pointed his chopsticks in his direction.

"I assumed so," he replied, unconcerned. If this is what they wanted to do, he'd go. Hanami was generally a pleasant experience.

"Nao-kun!! I've been looking for you!"

A loud voice had the entire room looking to the door, where a woman with medium-length black hair walked in.

"Yuki-nee," he replied. "I told you which classroom I'd be in. It seems you caught the last bus."

"You should have seen me, I ran super fast!” There was a hint of pride in her voice. “You should've woken me up earlier though," she whined.

"Aren't you supposed to be able to run quickly? You're a P.E. teacher," he reasoned. "And I woke you up twice, but you went back to bed each time."

"Next time make sure I wake up, okay?" she said, ignoring the first statement. Then, turning to the rest of the group.

"How has your first day been?" she asked.

"Good so far," Inko said, and Yuki smiled.

"That's good to hear," Yuki replied. "You all look so grown-up in your uniforms!"

Her gaze landed on Slaine, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, I don't think we've met before," she said. "I'm Kaizuka Yuki, Nao-kun's older sister, and the girls' P.E. teacher."

Slaine hastened to stand and give a polite bow.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Slaine Troyard. I recently moved here from Iceland with my father."

"Likewise," Yuki said. "Iceland, huh? That's pretty far away," she commented.

"It is," he agreed.

"We're all going to hanami this weekend," Nina explained. "Slaine's never been before."

"That'll be fun," Yuki said enthusiastically. Then, with a look at Inaho, "Be sure to take lots of pictures to show your poor sister.”

"Inko and Nina are better at photography," he reminded her. His pictures usually came out blurred. However, Inko and Nina had always possessed a skill for framing pictures and taking them clearly.

"But it's not the same," Yuki asserted. "They mean a lot more when they're from my younger brother."

"Very well. I will do my best," he assented. "Please do not complain about their quality when you receive them."

"Awww, Nao-kun."

She ruffled his hair affectionately, then looked at the clock on the wall.

"I should probably head back to the teachers' room," she said with a sigh. "It was nice to meet you, Slaine!"

"It was nice you meet you too," he replied pleasantly.

"Enjoy the rest of your day everyone. Oh, Nao-kun, they want the teachers to stay late today, so you can head on home without me."

Inaho nodded. He would likely have dinner prepared by the time Yuki returned home. The rest of the group bid Yuki farewell.

The remainder of lunch passed in amicable chatter consisting of what they thought of the school tours, the new movie that just came out that Nina and Inko said they've been dying to see, and where exactly they should go for hanami.

Inaho listened for the most part, speaking only when the conversation led to a question directed towards him. His friends had learned to expect this, and were content to talk enough to make up for Inaho's relative silence. Inaho was thankful for this, and listened as they debated what should be brought for hanami lunch until it was time to head to class.

* * *

 

**April 13, 2015**

**12:53 P.M.**

With their supplies in their arms, Slaine, Inko, and Inaho entered the third year homeroom. All eyes turned to them, and Slaine suddenly felt very self-conscious.

“You must be the first years.”

A woman with light brown hair addressed the three. She gave off the same commanding air as Cruhteo, but her tone was not as sharp. Slaine nodded, and the woman continued, speaking to the class.

“These three are first years, and will be joining this class.”

A few whispers could be heard among the third-years, but the woman spoke over them.

“You three. Please introduce yourselves.”

“My name is Amifumi Inko,” she introduced with a bow. “It’s nice to meet you.”

The woman nodded, and her gaze settled on Slaine.

“Ah,” he began nervously. “I’m Slaine Troyard. Please regard me well.”

Another nod, and Inaho spoke up.

“Kaizuka Inaho,” he stated tonelessly.

Seriously. Slaine was beginning to wonder if this boy had the ability to make any expression other than casual disinterest.

There was a flicker of something Slaine would consider recognition in the teacher’s eyes, though that was probably a result of Inaho’s speech that morning.

“Thank you. There are three empty seats in the back,” she gestured towards them. “Please sit there.”

Following her orders, they walked to the back of the room. Slaine was fairly sure he saw a boy glare in his direction, but the look was gone as quickly as it had shown up, and he thought nothing of it.

As it turned out, Mazuurek’s seat was in front of Inaho’s, and he turned around to quickly greet the three first-years, but stopped when the teacher addressed the class.

“Now that we’re all here, I’ll introduce myself. For those who don’t know already, my name is Darzana Magbaredge. I will be teaching your math course this year. Additionally, I will be training a student teacher.”

A shorter woman with short black hair stepped up to speak.

“Hello. My name is Kaoru Mizusaki, and I’ll be your student teacher this year. I’m just watching for now, but towards the end of the year, I'll be teaching some of the lessons,” she explained.

“Today I’ll be handing out a syllabus and a list of your homework assignments for the first three weeks,” Magbaredge explained, handing Mizusaki the papers. “Today you’ll take a mock exam over the topics that you should have learned in your previous classes, so that I can properly gauge where you’re at. If you aren’t sure how to answer a problem, make an attempt. At least show me your approach to it. There are 25 questions, and you will have 40 minutes.”

After all of the tests were handed out, Magbaredge told the class to begin.

A quick glance over the entirety of the test showed Slaine that he was familiar with all the concepts, and he began working through them. Being placed in a third-year course had concerned him, as he wasn’t sure what would be expected of him. Thankfully, it appeared as though all of the hours spent doing advanced math while he was homeschooled had paid off.

With fifteen minutes and three problems left, Slaine glanced over to Inaho, who had put his pencil down and seemed to be double-checking his answers.

He was definitely fast. If he had the accuracy to match, Slaine could easily see how he ranked first in the exams. Hypothetically, Slaine figured that the two of them would have completed the test at the same time if it weren’t for the kanji. He had been mildly surprised to see how much Japanese was used in a math problem. However, they were all kanji that he was familiar with, so he hadn’t worried about having misread a question.

A few minutes later he completed the test, and began to check his answers. Seeing no issues with what he had written, he flipped his paper over and sat quietly until the allotted time was up.

“Please pass your papers forward. Don’t worry, you won’t receive a grade for this, but if you found yourself unable to complete a question, please review your notes on that concept,” Magbaredge explained. “If you still have questions after that, come and see me. And don’t forget to do your homework,” she reminded them.

Slaine pulled out his planner and quickly made note of it.

Before the class ended, the students stood and bowed to the teachers. At the end of class, Magbaredge and Mizusaki filed out of the room and the third years stood to stretch their legs. Slaine watched as Mazuurek shifted in his seat to look at the three of them.

“Do you all have your things for next period?” he asked.

The three of them nodded. They had made sure to bring their supplies for all of their afternoon classes, since they were held outside of their homeroom.

“Good, good,” Mazuurek smiled, glad that they didn’t have to run between classrooms. “How do you feel about the test?” he asked Inko.

“I’m pretty sure I got a good score,” she replied. “I’m going to review the matrices tonight just in case.”

Mazuurek nodded.

“I’m going to look over the trig identities,” Mazuurek stated with a laugh. “What about you, Inaho-kun?”

“I feel comfortable with the topics,” came the monotone reply.

“That’s just like you,” Inko laughed. “How did you do, Slaine?”

“Ah, I think it went alright,” he offered. “Although,” he tucks a piece of hair behind his ear, “I didn’t expect there to be so much kanji on a math test.”

Inko and Mazuurek chuckled at his response.

“Were you able to read all of it though?” Inko asked.

“Yes, I was familiar with the kanji, so it wasn’t a problem.”

It may not have been a problem this time, but he was apprehensive about how he would fare in classes like Japanese literature or those with large reading assignments.

“Well, if you ever come across something you’re not sure about, you can always ask us,” Inko assured him.

“Thank you, I’m sure I’ll need help in the future,” he said.

The room filled once more as the beginning of class drew nearer. A man who Slaine recognized as Principal Saazbaum entered, and on cue, the students stood and bowed.

“I hope that after more than two years here, you are all aware of who I am. I will be teaching both your English Communication and Expression courses.”

Saazbaum glanced down at the student register, and then faced the class.

“It appears that there are three first years in this course. When I call your name, please stand. Amifumi Inko.”

“Here,” she replied. After receiving a nod in response, she sat back down.

“Kaizuka Inaho.”

“Present.”

“Ah, you’re the one who gave the speech this morning. Well done,” he commended.

“Thank you,” Inaho answered before sitting down.

“Slaine Troyard.”

Slaine was positive that there had been a slight pause when his name was read, though he hastened to stand.

“Here,” he replied, seeing something he couldn’t identify in the man’s gaze.

After everyone was seated, Saazbaum continued.

“As I’m sure all your teachers have, I will now hand out a syllabus. I am aware that the majority of your English courses thus far have focused on reading, writing, and listening comprehension. However, as this is an English Communication class, we will focus on the speaking component.”

A chorus of quiet groans rung out, but were quickly silenced with a look from Saazbaum.

“Before our next class on Wednesday, I’d like you to prepare a short, ten sentence speech detailing what you did over break. Where did you go, what did you do, what did you enjoy the most, and so on. You will present them in front of the class. While you are allowed to use notes, if I find that you are looking at them excessively, I will deduct points.”

Slaine felt relieved to be tasked with a simple assignment. His father had begun teaching him English from a young age, explaining that no matter what path he planned to take in life, English would be necessary. Many scientific reports were written in English, and he had studied avidly in order to understand them. Additionally, he often traveled with his father to science conventions where English was the primary language spoken. As a result, he was unconcerned with giving a short speech.

“You will have the rest of class to silently work on your speech. This is in lieu of a placement exam, so the work must be your own,” Saazbaum explained.

The students began their work with varying speeds. Those who felt confident quickly pulled out paper and began jotting down notes, while those whose foundations were shakier hesitated to begin.

By the time the period was over, Slaine’s speech was finished and he was focused on revising it. During the break between classes, Slaine stood and stretched, his body unused to sitting at a school desk for hours.

“Only one more class,” Inko said as she breathed a sigh of relief.

Slaine’s response came in the form of a small yawn, which earned a chuckle from Mazuurek.

“Should we head to the lab?” Mazuurek asked as he stood and gathered his things.

The three nodded, and made their way to the second floor. When they entered the room, Slaine noticed that the teacher stood at a sink towards the back.

“Should we go and introduce ourselves before class?” Slaine asked, not looking forward to introducing himself in front of everyone a third time.

“Yes, that would probably be best…” Mazuurek answered, and although he did not seem eager to do so, he led the three of them toward the man. “Zebrin-sensei…” he began in an attempt to get that man’s attention.

Zebrin turned around and appraised the three new students and the familiar one.

“Mazuurek-san. Who are these students?” he asked, shifting his eyes to Slaine, Inaho, and Inko.

“Ah, well, these are the three first years who will be in your class,” he explained with a sweeping gesture.

“I see,” came the reply.

“Hello. My name is Amifumi Inko. I look forward to being in your class,” she said and gave a deeper bow than she had to the other teachers.

Zebrin frowned, and shifted his eyes to Slaine.

“My name is Slaine Troyard. Please teach me for the coming year,” he offered. He did his best not to turn his eyes from the man’s gaze.

A small nod was the only indication that he had been heard, before Inaho spoke up.

“Kaizuka Inaho.”

Slaine sent a glance in Inaho’s direction and wondered if the boy was oblivious to the air of superiority surrounding the man in front of him.

Zebrin’s frown only deepened before he replied.

“Very well. I am not assigning seats, so you are free to choose your own,” he explained, before he walked away from them.

Slaine watched as he left, not entirely sure what to make of the exchange.

“He’s always like that,” Mazuurek assured him.

“That’s…” Slaine began.

“Interesting?” Inko finished, though the questioning tone betrayed her uncertainty of how to reply. “Anyways, let’s pick our seats before class starts,” she suggested.

They took seats in the middle of the room, and listened carefully as the teacher introduced himself.

“My name is Zebrin. I will be teaching your biology course this year. Today you will receive a list of the topics to be covered this year,” the sound of papers shuffling filled the room. “You will complete several labs throughout the year that pertain to the course content. While I doubt that you will carry them out perfectly, I expect you to apply the lessons learned from your mistakes and to consistently improve upon the quality of your work.”

A quick look at the course overview in his hands showed Slaine that the class covered everything from biochemistry to genetics to ecology.

“Because this course moves swiftly, there is a substantial amount of work that must be completed outside of the classroom. Failure to complete this work will result in your falling behind. Please schedule accordingly.”

It became clear to Slaine that he would need to place a focus on this class. Zebrin-sensei struck him as someone who would not tolerate students who did not do their best. He spoke with a disdain for anyone other than himself - a sign that Slaine would need to show the man that he was worthy of his respect. He hoped that a way to do that would show itself as the year progressed.

“Today you will be completing a reading assignment that will serve as a preface to our first unit, which will be biochemistry. I have attached five comprehension questions over the reading which are to be completed on a separate piece of paper. The assignment is due at the beginning of the next class.”

The silence that ensued was permeated only by the hushed sounds of pencils on paper and the quiet turning of pages. With his mind focused on the article, Slaine found that the remaining forty minutes passed quickly. While most of the content proved to be readable, there had been words and kanji that required the aid of his electronic dictionary to understand. The margins of his paper soon filled with little notes of kanji meanings and readings, along with summaries of each paragraph in Icelandic. By the time class had finished, he had read the majority of the article and answered three of the five questions.

As Slaine gathered his things he saw Inko move to stand by Inaho’s desk. He joined Inaho and Inko when he was ready, and Mazuurek approached the three.

“Are you glad to be finished with your first day?” he asked, leaning on the desk behind him.

“Definitely,” Inko replied.

“I’m ready to go home and take a nap,” Slaine added, stifling another yawn. It had been been a while since he had been around so many people for an extended period of time. This, combined with the added stress of starting school had left him weary.

“And you, Inaho-kun?” Mazuurek questioned, leaning forward ever so slightly.

“It was within my expectations,” he answered as he stood.

“Thank you for all of your help, Mazuurek-senpai,” Inko said. “We should be heading back to our homeroom, but we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow then,” came the cheerful reply.

The three made their way back downstairs and found Nina and Calm waiting for them. Nina perked up when she saw them, and a smile spread on her face.

“There you guys are!!” she greeted Inko with a hug. “How was it with the third years?”

“Lonely, without you,” Inko laughed, and moved to put her things in her bag. “What about you? How did things go?”

“Normal, I guess,” Nina answered, tapping her chin with one finger. “The chemistry teacher seemed really nice.”

Their conversation continued as they collected their notebooks, and joined the boys.

“Are any of you staying for free study?” Nina asked, shifting the strap of her bag.

“Nah, I’m ready to head home,” Calm replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“I think I’ll go home as well,” Slaine agreed.

“Hmm, I don’t really need to do anything, so I’ll go with you guys,” Inko agreed. Then, as though she already knew the answer, “You’ll come too, right, Inaho?”

“I see no reason to stay,” he stated, and followed them to the door.

After changing back into their outdoor shoes, the group made their way to the bus stop. The weather was still pleasantly warm, so Slaine left his raincoat folded neatly in his bag. The walk was filled with over-exaggerated descriptions of their new teachers and recounts of anything interesting that had happened during class.

Slaine watched the others interact and added in a comment wherever he saw fit. Nina, Inko, and Calm carried the conversation, for which Slaine was glad. As they boarded the bus, he stifled another yawn, and moved to sit in the back with everyone else.

“Being in a school environment must have really tired you out,” Nina commented. Her smile was kind and understanding, so Slaine took no offense, and nodded in agreement.

“Sometimes I just get really tired,” he explained. “I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night because I was worried about today,” he admitted with a laugh.

“Same here,” Inko said with a laugh. “What do you think of high school so far?”

“Well, I don’t really have anything to compare it to…” Slaine began. “But I think I’ll enjoy it. I’m excited to see what will happen this year,” he finished with a bright smile.

“Me too,” Inko agreed while Nina nodded.

“This year’s gonna be great,” Calm added and playfully nudged Slaine’s arm.

Slaine felt the bus slow to a stop and looked out of the window to see a familiar street. When Inaho stood, Slaine took that at his cue, and bid the group of teenagers goodbye.

“Bye!”

“See you tomorrow!”

“See ya!”

Slaine followed Inaho out of the bus and found himself faced with a new dilemma. He was used to silence. He had spent the better part of the past eight years with himself in relative solitude. This mutual silence, however, was not something that Slaine was accustomed to. Up until this point, Nina, Inko, and Calm had bridged the gap between him and Inaho. Now, the two of them left alone, Slaine was unsure of how to proceed.

Did he try and start a conversation? Inaho seemed to prefer to listen during conversations instead of taking part in them himself. Based on that, Slaine figured he should leave the boy to himself. The two conversations he had shared with Inaho so far had been... odd to say the least. However, the thought of spending every day walking silently side by side did not appeal to him in the slightest. Perhaps it would be best to make some attempt at conversation. If it failed, well, at least he could say that he tried, and write it off as the other boy’s antisocialness. Steeling himself, Slaine turned to Inaho.

“What did you do with all of those eggs?” he blurted out, asking what had been on his mind for a week.

Inaho turned to Slaine and looked at him as though he had not expected him to speak.

“It’s just that,” Slaine continued, “I’ve never seen anyone buy that many eggs at once,” he finished sheepishly. It was, admittedly, not the best conversation starter, but the sudden disappearance of the red-eyed boy that day at the supermarket had piqued his curiosity.

“I ate them,” Inaho replied, turning his eyes back to the path ahead.

“By yourself?”

“I cooked them for me and my sister,” he clarified.

“All of them?” Slaine prompted, now curious.

“There are still eighteen left,” came the answer.

“Ah. Do you like eggs that much?”

“They have their merits. They are quick and easy to make, and provide an ample amount of vitamins and proteins,” Inaho replied, hooking his thumb under the strap of his backpack.

“I see.”

Unsure of how to reply any further, the conversation died down. The silence didn’t last for long, as they soon approached Slaine’s house.

“Oh, this is my house, so…” Slaine trailed off. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said with an awkward wave.

Inaho looked to Slaine and nodded.

“Tomorrow,” he answered, and walked away.

Thrown off by the odd conversation, Slaine went inside and called out that he had returned. A muffled reply from the kitchen drew Slaine’s attention, and he entered to find his father standing by the sink.

“You’re home early,” Slaine observed as he unpacked his bento box and began to wash it.

Moving to the side, his father replied.

“One of the lab techs called in sick, and another had to leave early. We were short staffed, so I sent everyone home.”

The sounds of his native language rolling over him instantly put Slaine at ease. It was taxing to communicate in a foreign language all day. He was immensely grateful for the familiarly of Icelandic.

“Ah,” he said, putting more soap on the sponge. “I saw you at the opening ceremony,” he commented. “Did you head to the lab right after it finished?”

“No, I spoke with the principal,” his father responded. “I left after that.”

“He’s my English teacher,” Slaine explained. He grabbed a towel and began drying.

His father hummed and moved towards the fridge.

“What do you want for dinner?” he asked, sifting through the contents.

“I’ll cook,” Slaine answered quickly.

“Don’t worry,” his father assured him. “I’ll make something simple.”

His father didn’t cook often, and for good reason. Slaine could say with complete certainty that his father’s meals were the most devastatingly inedible he had ever come across. While neither burned nor undercooked, his recipes lacked any semblance of flavor. His father used to argue and point out that they tasted fine and that Slaine was making a big deal over nothing. It had taken three years for Slaine to convince his father to let him cook their meals. Following his institution in the kitchen, his taste buds had rejoiced, thankful to experience food with actual seasoning. However, on occasion, like tonight, his father would make something, though it had been decided long ago that he was only to make simple foods, and that all seasoning would be left to Slaine.

“If you’re sure then…” he put down the towel and reached for his bag. “I have some homework that I need to finish, but call me when it’s time to put the seasonings on.”

His father nodded and began pulling things from cabinets.

It was moments like these that Slaine enjoyed the most - when his father seemed a little less focused on his research, and a little more human. Slaine retreated to his room with a small, hidden smile on his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We literally spent 27 years on Inaho's speech. 
> 
> On another note, the alternate chapter summary proposed by Masumi was: "Saazbaum and Dr. Troyard meet. It is glorious." 
> 
> I'm gonna try to update more often, but we're heading into what's frankly the worst part of the school year soon, soooooooooooo. . . .
> 
> Either way, constructive criticism (and pretty much anything actually) is always welcome!!!

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be dropping hints throughout the story about what city this fic takes place in. I say "Shinawara" but I've based it off of a different city haha. Maybe there will be a prize for the first person who guesses correctly? (you can't guess if I've told you already, obviously) ((no, it's not Tokyo))
> 
> I'm not sure how this chapter got to be so long, but I'm gonna do my best to make them all this long?
> 
> I can't guarantee how often updates will be posted, but I can assure you that I will never drop this fic. Ever.
> 
> I think that's everything for now! Please feel free to make corrections / offer constructive criticism!


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